[stipe]

I'm selling an investment property shortly and am wondering whether it's worth having it staged or leaving it empty.

The property is a 2 bed 2 bath 900sf condo in Liberty Village. The building is new and I've had a friend live there since occupancy in November so it's in excellent condition. I live across the street so I could (with some headache) use my own furniture to stage the place. It'd be a major hassel moving it only to have to move it all back in a few weeks (units sell pretty fast in the area). However I'd be willing to do it provided it'd help me get a higher price.

The problem is I don't know if going through the effort to stage it with my own furniture would actually be worth it. I have new stuff that look nice and wouldn't have to move everything. On the other hand the place is in excellent condition and just needs a fresh coat of paint to look like the builder's selling it.

Any advice on whether it's worth staging with my own stuff for a couple weeks or should I just paint and leave it empty? Would staging a new building really increase the price that much?

thanks in advance!

 

[cdr108]

unless the floorplan is really awkward and the potential buyers have no imagination, it's not necessary.

but it does seem like 'bling' and marketing a 'lifestyle' does sell ... otherwise the flashy brochures and presentation centres wouldn't be so prominent.

what style type of furnishings do you own?

 

[stipe]

My furniture is very contemporary. I bought all new stuff when I moved last year keeping in mind I would sell my place down the road so I kept things very contemporary for the condo market. The only think I can't move is my bed. So I would have to picking up a cheap bed frame with an air mattress and nice bed coverings.

The floor plan is very straightforward so based on what your suggesting it might not be worth it. It's 900 sf with an open concept living/dinning, kitchen in it's own nook, and the two bedrooms off either side of the living area. All the rooms are either rectangle or square.

 

[PinkLucy]

A lot of buyers don't have much imagination, and it helps them to see how furniture might fit in a space. Some people are even turned off by a paint colour (duh, you can repaint!) so a fresh new paint job in a neutral shade is also a good investment. If units are selling quickly where you are, you probably don't need to stage, but if they're not, it's likely a good investment. You can rent furniture too, you don't have to buy something new.

 

[metroTO]

Did you see the other units for sale in your building?
Checking out the competition is good idea to determine if you should stage it and to what level.
Also many potential buyers could not visualize spacialy and get turned off by minor details (eventhough it could be easily fixed), but luckily for you with very little money you could make some small improvements that make a big difference in making your place more appealing.
Good luck selling your place.

 

[Kenny]

I would stage it. Even if you get an offer that's only $1000 more than if you hadn't staged it, it's worth it.

In a 900 sq ft condo, having furniture in it will make it look bigger, providing that the furniture fits properly. Also, if some of the walls are painted, furniture will offset the contrast.

Note: this can backfire if it looks TOO staged. There are companies that stage your condo for you, but they can be pricey.